Nothing Like You & I
by Kelli Lynn
Summary: Being the daughter of a famous fashion designer, actress and model, stability has never been something Marley could say she had. But she craves it... everyday. Will it come in the form of a new school..and a new friend? Or just worsen things...
1. Chapter 1

"Mom please don't make me do this." I begged my mom desperately, all the while driving closer and closer to what I was sure would be my fate.

"Marley, you say things like this every time you go to a new school. '_Mom, please, they won't like me' _or _'Mom, why do you hate me so much?' _You know, if I hate you so much, then why do I pay for you to go to all these _expensive_ private schools?" My mom replied, smirking at her own jest.

I sighed; I knew she was right.

You see, I'm Marley Haverse. You probably know me best by my mom, Angela Haverse. Yes, _the_ Angela Haverse. Fashion designer, former model and actress. Uber star. You get the picture.

Everybody thinks I'm so lucky to have a mom so famous; and I have to admit it's partly true.

After all, not _everybody _has a private jet, two stretch limos, three houses on three different continents, and millions of dollars even after buying all of that.

But in the midst of everything (and I know your going to find this hard to believe,) my life feels rather empty. Because of my moms job, we have to travel all over the world. I've never lived in one place for more than two consecutive years.

And now here comes the typical response (right after you've seemingly "over looked" that last bit) 'Wow, selfish much? You have all that and your _still _not satisfied?' Well don't get me wrong, (didn't I just say you were partly true when you said I was lucky?) It's just that fame and fortune really isn't everything as some people are lead to believe…

Especially when you didn't have any choice about it, never asked for it, and never _ever_ wanted it.

These were the thoughts that continually chased each other around my mind as my mom pulled into the drive of the most prestigious private school in all of New England. Nottingham High.

Situated snugly in the crisp New Jersey atmosphere, Nottingham High was every Harry Potter lovers dream (to bad she had never read one of the acclaimed best sellers in her life.) Definitely not a castle, but would swallow your average private school/boarding school whole, Nottingham High was eight stories tall, gray stone with square towers and was the most magnificent school Marley had ever dreaded attending in her life. The lawns were a bright green manicured to perfection, almost leafless though as Marley watched, several leaves did indeed, fall to the ground.

Her mom pulled up the smooth drive to the huge, rather daunting, front doors.

She put the car in park and pulled the keys out of the ignition.

"Well, it's now or never baby." Her mom said, putting her hand on Marley's shoulder.

"I choose never." Marley said defiantly, looking out the window up at the gray sky.

"Hey now," She said, cupping Marley's chin her hand which had been pointed purposefully in the other direction, and turned it towards her. She stared into her daughters beautiful bright green eyes; reflections of her own. "You'll do fine, just like you always do. Just make the best of it." She said, finishing it off with a motherly smile and a kiss upon the forehead. "Now c'mon, we've gotta go meet the headmaster." She said, getting out the car as she spoke. Marley did the same.  
"I have a feeling "Dumbledores" not gonna like me." She said, thinking about the shock her appearance was sure to cause.

Yes she was wearing the school uniform, no great shock there, but from the collar of her pullover sweater up was what she was talking about.

Shaggy bleach blonde hair with a black under-layer falling in her eyes, thick eyeliner, a lip piercing, and black sharpie marker etched onto her neck.

Angela Haverse's mouth twitched as she surveyed her daughter, leaning casually up against the side of their silver Audi.

"Oh, I'm sure they'll love you."


	2. Chapter 2

Marley walked up to the huge front doors and stopped. What was she supposed to do?

Look for some sign that said "Please knock" like in Wizard of Oz? Or take her chances and look for a doorbell?

Before she had time to voice any of these thoughts to her mom, the doors were flung wide open and a man with gray hair, dressed in a suite and tie and accessorized with a fatherly smile walked out.

"Ah, Angela!" He exclaimed, "You're looking ever lovely as always." He said, walking to her and giving her a quick embrace. Marley just remembered a fact; her mom used to come to this school. No wonder he was friendly towards her… or maybe it was just the fact she was famous.

"Now this can't be your daughter?" Marley seemed to hear the voice from far off. Wherever she heard it from, it snapped her out of her thoughts and back into the real world where a Daniel Portsmith was looking at her, disapproval etched in every line of his fake smile; her mother didn't seem to notice.

"Yes, this is Marley!" She said smiling, walking over and placing her arm around Marley's shoulders.

Mr. Portsmith's fake smile was starting to waver. He must have realized she'd noticed because he snapped his focus back to her mom.

"Well, why don't we have one of our students show Marley to her room while you register her?" He said, gesturing towards the door, and the large hall beyond.

"Of course." My mom agreed; her arm still around my shoulders, she steered me inside.

"Ahh why not this young man!" Mr. Portsmith suddenly exclaimed, placing his hand on the boys shoulder.

I could tell the boy was rather alarmed as Mr. Portsmith had come up from behind him.

He turned around looking rather wary; probably wondering what exactly he had been chosen to do.

"Your Nicholas, correct?" Mr. Portsmith asked, his slate gray eyes boring into the boys chocolate brown ones.

"Yes sir." He said, seeming more comfortable after the initial shock wore off.

"Well this is Marley, one of our newest students. I figured you could show her where she'll be staying and help her with her bags and such."

"Of course sir." He said, finally taking notice of me.

His eyes met with mine; I held his gaze until he broke it soon after.

"Where is she staying sir?" Nicholas asked.

"Wicker dorm room."

"Ok, I'll take her right up." He responded, smiling as Mr. Portsmith and my mom walked away to a room in the side of the hall labeled 'Headmasters Office'.

As soon as the door closed, his smile faded slightly, until he looked up at me again, locking eyes with me.

"So your Marley Haverse, huh?" He stated, taking a step toward me, closing the gap between us a bit.

"Yep. And your Nicholas." I said smiling, holding out my hand.

"You can call me Nick." He said taking it. My breath caught; his hands were smooth and soft and his touch sent shivers up and down my spine.

"Why don't we go get your bags." He said after awhile of staring into my eyes; did he have any idea my legs had turned to Jell-O?

"OK." I said.

We walked back out the doors into the crisp fall air, the light wind ruffling Nick's dark brown curls.

I opened up the drivers side door and pressed a button. The trunk popped open.

Nick grabbed my heavy dufflebag and suitcase, leaving my black and white checkered backpack and my toiletry bag to me.

After I had slung the straps of my bag over my shoulders and grabbed the other by the handle, I shut the trunk.

"C'mon." Nick said, leading the way back into the entry hall and up a rather large flight of steps over to the left.

When we had reached the top I saw that it led to a long hallway, the windows lining the left wall overlooked the extensive grounds. The doors lining the right were no doubt classrooms.

After walking down the hallway for some time, we came to another hallway on our right. Nick took this

One until we came to an alcove cut into the wall where a spiraling staircase was fashioned out of stone, a black wrought iron railing following it's upward progression.

"Shortcut." Nick said simply at my wondering look, and started up the steps.

"This staircase will take you to the third floor. On the third floor there's one that will take you to the fifth and practically right outside your dorm room." Nick explained as we climbed.

As in shape as I was, by the time we reached the top I was panting and out of breath.

Nick looked back me, a knowing expression on his face.

"Haven't you people ever heard of elevators?" I asked.

Nick simply smiled.

Aw, now why'd he have to do that? I could barely breathe as it was!


	3. Chapter 3

Though it was a long climb, Marley soon got used to it.

She also soon got used to the fact that her fitting in at this school would probably never happen.

Snotty, spoiled brats made up the population of Nottingham High. Preppy girls who looked down their noses and jock type guys who just think about getting laid.

Marley had even had her doubts about Nick when she found out who his friends were.

The whoriest girls and the stupidest guys. When she had asked him about it, however, his response rather shocked her.  
"Friends?" He laughed, "They don't know the meaning of the word." He said, leaning his back against the trunk of a towering oak tree, running his fingers through the lush grass.

Nick and Marley had retreated to this spot after their last class (Science), and had been sitting there talking ever since.

"Then why do you hang out with them?" Marley asked, staring up at the blue sky which was quickly giving way to tones of red and orange.

"I don't know." Nick said simply. Marley looked over and straight into his eyes.

"You don't know why your friends with them?" She asked unbelievably.

"Well I mean I do, it's just difficult to explain."

"So you mean your really just friends with them cause of what they can do for you, right?" She said with a smirk.

"Marley, please, you know me better than that." Nick said, smirking in return and lying down on the grass next to her, propping himself up on his elbow.

"So?" She asked.

"So what?" He replied, looking in the other direction.

"So why _are _you friends with them?" She asked impatiently, hooking her finger around his chin and turning his face to hers.

"You know it hate when people don't look at me when their talking Nick." She said, returning her hand to behind her head.

"And that's why I do it." He said, smiling.

"Did I ever tell you you're a jerk?" She said, faking a look of wondering.

"No."

"Well I should have."

Nick laughed and lay fully down.

"See this is why I'm friends with you Marley, you call me a jerk but I know you don't mean it and we can still be friends. My other 'friends' would mean it and not talk to me for weeks."

"Who said I didn't mean it?" Marley said threateningly.

"Because if you meant it you wouldn't allow me to do what I'm about to do."

"Do what?" Marley asked warily.

"You'll see…" He said grinning.

--

"I _cannot_ believe you seriously got me to do this." Marley whispered angrily into Nick's ear.

Marley saw his body slightly shake with laughter, "Hey, you know what, you didn't have to agree to it." He said. Marley opened her mouth to retaliate but Nick interrupted her, "Hold on, lets move to that bush over there." Nick quickly army crawled over to the next nearest bush. Marley swiftly followed.

That's how they had spent the last fifteen minutes of they're time. Evading the night guards in their valiant attempt to sneak out. Yes, that had been Nick's brilliant idea. And Marley had to admit it deserved every bit of anxiousness she had felt earlier about the situation. Twice now they had almost gotten caught.

Nick assured her he had done this before; but maybe that's what made her so worried about everything.

Marley reached Nick and propped her self up on her knees, ducking her head behind the leafy foliage of the rose bush in front of her.

"So why exactly are we sneaking out again?" Marley asked in a hushed voice, watching the bright moonlight wash over Nick's perfectly tanned skin. Marley could only imagine how pale her Irish heritage must be making _her _look at the moment.

"My friend called me a couple of weeks back and said he was having a party tonight." Nick replied.

"Oh wonderful. The classic sneak-out-go-to-a-party-and-get-caught-while-your-drunk idea." Marley said, smiling sarcastically, "Just as a horrible an idea as it always is."

"Well if you think it's that horrible of an idea, then don't go." Nick said, then ran into the darkness ahead.

"Nick!" Marley hissed. She definitely wanted to go to this "party" with Nick, but at the same time desperately wanted to turn back.

Marley looked back over her shoulder at the darkness they had left behind, asked herself silently why in heck they didn't have any lights or cameras if they were worried about students sneaking out, and ran into the darkness after Nick.

"Nick! Nick!" She silently called, running around rather blindly, waiting for her eyes to dialate properly.

Marley was just about to admit defeat and turn back, when an icy cold hand came up from behind and covered over her mouth; the scream she emitted completely muffled.

The owner of the hand quickly dragged her over to the wall surrounding the entire school premises, and gently pushed her against it.

"Scared?" Nick's quiet voice erupted in her ear.

"Nick." She breathed. Marley had watched to many horror films not to think about what would've happened next if the person in question hadn't been Nick.

But Marley began to relax and breathe easier in Nick's half embrace; one arm on her waist where it had snaked itself around earlier and one hand resting on the brick wall above her shoulder.

"Don't you ever do that again Nick." Marley whispered, still listening to her heartbeat thudding loudly in her ears.

"I promise I won't." Came Nick's quiet vow right next to her ear; so close Marley could feel the smile playing across his perfect lips.

"Now, are we ever going to get to this party?" Marley asked, getting rather impatient now that her previous anxiety had worn off.

"One step left to go." Nick said, putting both hands around Marley's waist.  
"What are you doing?" She asked, feeling the pressure of his fingers boring into her hips.

"I'm getting you over the wall?"  
"WHAT!?" Marley quietly exclaimed. But it was to late, before she knew it, Nick had set her on top of the six foot wall and was almost finished climbing up himself.

Marley watched the cars go by on the busy street before her. She marveled at how two completely different worlds, doing their best to cut themselves off from one another, could exist in perfect realness just over a six foot red brick wall.

Nick soon joined her in sitting quietly sitting on top of the wall.

"Enjoying yourself?" He asked.

Marley grinned mischeviously and swung her legs over the wall, dropping her 5' 6" frame gently down onto the sidewalk without even a stagger. Six years of gymnastics gives you a wicked sense of balance; _and _a freakish ability to pretty much always land on your feet.

"So, where to from here?" Marley asked when Nick had dropped down beside her.

Nick smiled and took her hand, "This way." He said, and started running.


	4. Chapter 4

"Nick, where are we going?" Marley asked breathlessly as Nick led her down yet another dark and filthy alleyway. "We're gonna get raped if we keep this up. Can't we please just stop and freaking _breathe_ a little?" She said, letting go of Nick's hand and slumping against the cold brick wall of a manufacturing plant in downtown Trenton.

The sweat of Nick's face gleamed in the distant light of the busy street they had left behind.

"It's not much farther Marley." Nick said, checking his phone. "Listen, we left right when we should've. If we keep up this pace, we'll be at the party about 10:30." He finished, closing his phone and shoving it into his back pocket. He held out his hand anxiously for Marley to take.

But no matter how sneaky he thought he was being Marley hadn't missed the nervous tone to his voice.

"We're lost aren't we Nick? That's why it's taking so long, isn't it?" Marley said, her voice fantastically quieter than she'd intended; So much for her stern and provoking outburst. She settled for an annoyed groan at the sheepish look on his face and began to walk a bit towards the street they had entered the alley from.

"Nick?" Marley's question evaporated into the chilly night air as she realized that Nick wasn't walking with her. She turned back to find him exactly where she'd left him, but his hands were shoved deep into his pockets and a look of exasperation mixed with what might have been anger was spread across his perfect features.

"We're not supposed to be anywhere near this part Trenton, in fact, we're supposed to be on the other side of town." Nick said, dejectedly, kicking a stray stone on the ground. Marley sighed realizing that Nick's undeniable pride was to blame for this.

"You've known we've been lost for a while, haven't you?" She asked, walking back to stand in front of him.

Nick nodded mutely, still not looking her in the eyes.

"Nick, don't be so hard on yourself." Marley said.

"Why shouldn't I be hard on myself?" Nick exclaimed suddenly, "How many times have I done this and _now _I decide to get lost? I have all the right in the world to be completely pissed at myself Marley, and don't deny it." He said when he spotted Marley's mouth opening to retaliate. "We're miles from where we should be, in a dangerous part of town, I have no idea how to get home and it's almost 11:00."

"Nick, calm down, I'm sure we'll find our…wait a minute, you said we would _be at_ the party by _10:30_!" Marley practically yelled. Nick crossed his arms sulkily and looked in the other direction.

Marley pulled her own phone from her pocket and checked the time: 10: 47.

"Nick!" Marley yelled angrily when she realized how he'd lied to her. She looked and found that for the first time she was able to be astoundingly mad even while staring him straight in his gorgeous eyes.

_"OK calm down Marley. Just breathe."_ She told herself.

"Nick," She started, trying to play the calm and sensible part in this; yelling wasn't going to help anything, "I'm sorry. Now is not the time to be mad. But I mean, do you even know how much trouble we're going to be in if we don't find our way back to school?" She said, placing her hands on her hips in the classic "I'm annoyed" pose.

"Of course I do!" Nick said, "But I have no idea where we are. We wouldn't have the 'finding our way home' problem if I did."

"Nicholas, Nicholas…" Marley sighed, shaking her head, "What _am _I going to do with you."

"I have some ideas." Nick grinned and winked.

"Nick!" Marley said, angry that he could think about something like that at a time like this, " Alright, One, I know you don't mean that so shut-up. And two, if we don't find our way home before midnight, I will seriously consider _never_ speaking to you again. But of course I probably won't get the chance considering we'll most likely be _expelled." _Marley emphasized strongly on the last word.

"Alright, alright!" Nick said, holding his hands up in a sign of surrender, playfully grinning. "Now what street did you say that was?" He asked, gesturing towards the street they had left behind.

"I didn't, but hold on a minute." Marley said, running to the edge of the alley. She quickly glanced down the street and then ran back to where Nick was standing.

"Layton Avenue" She said.

"Layton…." Nick said, straining his eyes as though trying to see something in the distance he couldn't quite make out.

"Wait a minute…maybe we're not as lost as we thought." He said, grinning through the bleakness enclosed by the dripping alley walls.

"C'mon!" Nick said, grabbing Marley's hand.

"But Nick, where are we going?" Marley asked, struggling to keep up with his new excited pace.

"You'll see!" He said, a grin spread across his face.

But Marley didn't think she wanted to know where they were going as Nick continually led her deeper and deeper into the bowels of what was slowing living up to it's reputation of 'dangerous part of town.'

Marley could smell all kinds of drugs, their scents wafting into her nostrils from every direction.

The stench of alcohol in front of one of the houses was so overwhelming; Marley unsuccessfully fought back the very strong urge to vomit. The smell of alcohol had never sat well with her. But then maybe it was the memories it brought back to a mind that was already tired of thinking about them.

Her mom had been a strongly addicted alcoholic for five years of Marley's life. She had become sober around Marley's thirteenth birthday. But it had caused Marley to grow up faster than most other kids; the ones who were still waking up late every morning and munching happily on their sugary cereals. Instead, Marley ate the toast she had cooked herself and watched murder reports and bombings on the news. _Somebody _had to keep up with what was going on in the real world.

Around noon, her mom would finally make an appearance, practically falling down the stairs, completely hung over and reeking of alcohol.

Yeah, it was probably the memories. Marley thought glumly as she leaned over a trashcan.

Nick stood there akwardly, not really knowing what to do.

No other girl like her had ever crossed the threshold of Nottingham High. She was the daughter of a celebrity whos drunken past had been plastered on tabloids around the world. Her father had left her mother for another woman (much to the love of the media) when Marley was seven, and not to mention her very own life which had always been under that same scrutiny.

Marley brought Nick back from his musings by surfacing above the edge of the trashcan, paler (if that was even possible) than he'd ever seen her.

"You ok?" He asked, sliding his hand into hers.

"I think I'll be ok." She said, giving his hand a light squeeze. "Thanks."  
"For what?" Nick asked, tucking a stray strand of Marley's hair behind her ear.

"For not ditching me." She replied.

Nick laughed. "Why would I do that? It's not like I've never thrown up before."  
"No not for that." Marley sighed and closed her eyes. "For me being difficult."  
"About what?"  
"About everything. Ever since I met you I've been so judgmental. Everything you do just _has_ to have bad intentions, or a way that it could turn out horribly."

She said all this while avoiding Nick's penetrating gaze.

Nick thought saying that was a bit of an overreaction.

"But Marley, everything you said just proves how difficult _I_ am to live with. For _giving you _all those reasons to worry or judge." Nick explained, "If I didn't do these sometimes crazy things, there'd be no reason to even have this conversation." He finished with an adorable grin.

Marley smiled back and before she knew it, her arms were around him, pulling him into a hug.

"You're the best kid ever, you know that?" She whispered into his curls.

Though a little taken aback at her unexpected reaction to his words, Nick returned the hug with equal force.

He buried his nose into her hair, inhaling deeply. The scent of raspberries filled his nose and entered his lungs. He could feel Marley begin to pull away and began to desperately search for a reason not to let go, to hold her forever. But there was none and he was resigned to let his arms fall to his sides once again.

"So where to from here Mr. I-Know-Where-I'm-Going." Marley asked sarcastically, grinning.

Nick grinned back. "I don't think it's far from here. C'mon." He said, happily taking the hand Marley held out.

"So what is the 'it' that's not far from here, exactly?" Marley asked, looking at some graffiti on the building next to her as she spoke.

"My uncles house."  
"Uhhh, no offense but, why would any self-respecting somewhat _normal_ person want to live here?"

Nick looked at her with wide eyes, "How on earth could you get that impression?"

"Ohhh ok." She said sarcastically at his playful attempt at bewilderment.

Nick laughed. "Yeah, I know what you mean. Why would anybody want to live here? Thing is, my uncles an undercover cop. Busts people pretty much everyday for illegal drug possession and stuff like that."

"Well it's not like this isn't the neighborhood to find it." Marley muttered.

They continued to walk past house after dilapidated house, holding hands all the while.

Marley had to admit that she never saw this coming. Liking Nick that is.

Maybe the first day she met him, yeah, but when she got to know him she realized that they were probably much better off as friends… so why was she doing this? The answer was simple.

She couldn't say no to Nick. To those gorgeous eyes that saw right through her, or to that irresistible smile that understood the stupidest of her problems. Would she ever learn to get over that? Would she ever learn to say no and walk away?

"_I should have by now._" She thought to herself bitterly. Just as she was about to give in and shove the hand clamped onto Nick's deep into her pocket, he made a sudden announcement.

"We're here!" He said excitedly, pointing to the most disgusting house they'd passed yet.

There was graffiti all over its walls and half of the roof appeared to be falling in. The right wall leaned in slightly and the whole area surrounding it smelled like garbage.

"Are you sure Nick?" Marley asked, a bit baffled. I mean, shouldn't even an undercover policeman live better than this?

"Sure I'm sure," Nick began walking towards the house and pulling Marley with him, "I've been here so many times, I'd know this house anywhere."

"Ooo, shocker." Marley said under her breath.

Nick playfully glared at her and continued to pull her along, right up to the door.

Marley knew something was wrong before Nick even moved his hand to knock.

The stench coming from the house was more than just garbage.

A mixture of stale alcohol and marijuana rushed unto her lungs, practically suffocating her.

She didn't have the heart to tell Nick; he seemed oblivious to it and it was obvious he looked up to his uncle so much.

Should she say something? But what _could_ she say?

"Uhh, Nick," She started hesitantly, but was cut off by the door being flung wide open.

"NICK!" Came a joyous yell from somewhere in the haze of smoke.

Nicks face was nothing but a plastered smile.


End file.
